Melanie Katsalidis is the director and founder of Pieces of Eight which she established in 2005. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Melbourne University and Bachelor of Fine Arts, Gold and Silversmithing, RMIT University. Her work is held in many private collections and is often commission-based. She has exhibited widely, and in 2014 collaborated with Melbourne fashion label Alpha60 on an exhibition using Australian opals which culminated in an exhibition entitled UPALA. In 2016 she collaborated with New York-based sculptor Phillip Low on CHROMA and in 2017 she presented NEO Cuts at Pieces of Eight. Her work explores beauty in pure geometry and form, making strong lines and bold structures wearable.